MONTREAL - Quebec golf club professionals will have a busy competitive season despite the tough economic climate that has resulted in a drop in total prize money.

A global purse of $776,350 – down from $1,008,950 last season – will be up for grabs for head club pros, assistants and seniors on the 40-event-plus schedule announced Thursday by QPGA executive-director Jean Trudeau.

“We’ve had to become more innovated, and I believe we’ve done that very well,” Trudeau said. “We still have more than 50 financial partners involved in the tour and some new features for our players and the fans who follow our guys. It will be exciting as ever.”

The first major tournament to tee off the new season will be the Acura Classic, slated for May 22-24 at Royal Bromont. It’s the first of six events in the newly named Molson Canadian 67 Circuit, offering $252,000 in total prize money.

The H. Gregoire Prestige Series has 15 events for a total of $341,200 in prize money, including the $150,000 VIA Rail Canada Cup presented by Wampole, slated for July 30 to Aug. 5 at Le Blainvillier.

The 72-hole event brings together the top club pros from across the country and is the richest on the Quebec PGA Tour, with $30,000 going to the winner.

The Prestige Series starts with the annual Spring Open May 25 at Beaconsfield and concludes with the annual Ernie Findlay Championship, also at Beaconsfield, Oct. 1-2. Berthier will play host to the $70,000 RBC-Honda Cup, slated for Aug. 13-16, and Whitlock is the site for the $40,000 Adidas Eyewear Cup, a team match play, set for Aug. 21-24.

The Callaway Golf Circuit for assistant club pros will have three 18-hole $10,000 classics – Knowlton May 21, Le Maitre Tremblant June 19, and Le Grand Vallon July 19 – before wrapping up with the $20,000 Callaway Cup championship Aug. 28-31 at Le Diamant.

The $37,500 Senior Circuit begins with the AGP Challenge June 4-6 at Cowansville, followed by the Acura Rendez-Vous July 25 at Ki-8-Eb, and the Honda Championship Sept. 18-19 at St. Jean.

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